Business Development and Inclusion Task Force

Click here for Update: Chamber Board Advocates for ESL Programing 

SWLA Alliance is interested in collaborating across industries and with government, civic agencies, educational institutions and community organizations to highlight the business case for diversity and inclusion.

• Better understanding of your customers
• Diverse teams work better together
• Greater innovation and creativity
• Boosts your employee brand
• Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more like to have returns above the national median for their industry
• Diverse teams have been shown to generate more than 30% of their revenues from innovative products and services 

Striving to be a more inclusive community creates a competitive advantage for business and supports attracting, developing and retaining skilled talent in the region. 

Diversity Mission Statement: Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance will educate, lead, and influence regional businesses to foster diverse and inclusive practices to grow the area's competitive advantage locally and globally. 

Diversity Vision: Everyone feels at home in Southwest Louisiana.

Current priorities for the committee are:

Lead

• Integrate the diversity and inclusion mission, vision and strategy through the SWLA Economic Development Alliance’s/Chamber SWLA programming.
• Identify diversity and inclusion champions engaged and interested in leading and doing the work.

Educate

• Create programming to educate business and community leaders on the business case for diversity and inclusion.
• Provide networking or learning opportunities for small and minority owned businesses in order for them to be engaged with the Alliance/Chamber SWLA and the business community at large.

Influence

• Connect with existing programs trying to conduct similar work in the region to build capacity and awareness.
• Create space for small and minority owned business owners to have a voice, create buy-in and willingness to join the conversation.

The committee also spearheads the selection of Business Development and Diversity Award Winners for small and large enterprises located in southwest Louisiana. Winners are announced during the Chamber SWLA’s annual banquet.

For more information about the committee, contact Eric Cormier, Vice President of Policy and Strategic Development for the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance at 337-433-3632 or ecormier@allianceswla.org.